Death of an HMO licensee

[reb223]

The license for our HMO property is due to expire on 31st August, so a few weeks ago we sent in a renewal application and displayed the relevant notice outside the property. On the current license my father is listed as the landlord and my mother as the managing agent. My father passed away on 31st October 06 so for the renewal, my mother is listed as the landlord and I am down as the managing agent.

A few days ago my mother received a hostile phone call from a council worker saying that we have been illegally running an HMO for the last 10 months and it should be a new application, not a renewal. Apparently you have 3 months to inform them of a licence holder's death. My father's death was very sudden and as all the properties automatically transferred to my mother (and the day-to-day management of the properties has not changed), it did not occur to us to inform the council.

We are still in fact winding up my father's estate, and everyone else has been very compassionate. I feel that the council's attitude is abominable. We have been told on numerous occasions by inspectors, fire officers, etc, that we are one of the most meticulously run HMOs in Glasgow (for example, the fire officer told us we are the only ones he has come across who have a comprehsive log book of weekly fire alarm testing). We do EVERYTHING the council asks of us and try to keep one step ahead, but this issue slipped us by.

Does anyone know of anything we can do to avoid the extra £944 for a new application, and to avoid resending architectural plans, etc? I feel they are taking advantage of landlords who want to do a good, honest job, and not chasing the rogues.

Thanks in advance,

Rebecca

[Simon Dewsberry]

I think i would be having alittle chat with the manager of the licensing dept ...to see if he could see any way at all to sympathetically reconsider the position immediately ........and to avert your very next phone call to the local press.....

I have also found intervention from my local MP very effective (and swift) on occasions such as this ....

This would appear to be a disgraceful attitude to a very sensitive situation.....

Is there any reason why your mother cannot be both MA And LL(owner) --As i understand it --new hmo licenses are geared mainly to the "manager " of prop- not the owner/LL ?

Simon